HALLOWEEN HAVOC 2006 REPORT
by Adam Crites

Greeting to all Raw Deal players in the known universe. It is time for my big, honkin’ West Coast Qualifier Report…or as we have called it out here, “HALLOWEEN HAVOC ’06!!!”

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006
Crystal and I leave from home about 9:30, having packed up the FIVE boxes worth of prize support the night before. We know the store is supposed to be open at Noon to accommodate early Pod play, but we are very curious how many people might actually show up before the 5 pm start time for the Money In The Bank event. Imagine our surprise when we arrive and find 8 players already in the shop doing random play. Crystal and I unload the prizes for today and get set up, and I take a few minutes to introduce myself to the early arrivals.

I should say here and now that, especially on this first day, I was physically not well. I was still recovering from a virus the week before and an already incredibly stressful week. Fortunately, Crystal would be there to support me all weekend and keep me propped up and looking good.

Players are ready to start Pods, but we have a small problem. UPS hasn’t arrived yet with the product for the Rumble Pods. The group decides they will go ahead and kick in for a Win A Box Pod, which as our first event of the Havoc is notable as Vick Babikian wins the single elimination event to claim a box of Great American Bash.

Some more time is killed with players going for open play to test their decks and another couple of Pods getting started up. Then, we hit the magic hour and begin sign-ups for our first big event of the weekend – Money In The Bank double elimination tournament.

24 players step up to the line for the chance to be the winner to climb the ladder of success and take down the hanging briefcase for their free entry into the next day’s World Qualifier, as well as a ton of prizes including a WWE PPV Chair.

Of our 24, here is our diversity breakdown :
2 Each –
Junkyard Dog x2
Mr.PPV
Batista

1 Each -
Big Show
Bobby Heenan
Big Freakin’ Machine
Edge
Your Freakin’ Hero
Mr. Kennedy
The Rock
The People’s Champ
Dudley Boyz
Shawn Michaels
Lashley
Shelton Benjamin
Rob Van Dam
Andre The Giant
Leader Of The Edge Army
MNM
JBL

Since we are running double elimination that means it will take 2 losses to knock you out of the event. The would become very important as we went along. Also, because of the nature of the beast, we had to break out the old standbys and use written score cards for the match.

After making his way through the winner’s bracket, we had lead play tester extraordinaire Kevin Fish and his HBK deck standing as undefeated and waiting to see who he would have to face off from the loser’s bracket. In the final’s from there, we saw Manny Gonzalez, with Mr.PPV, take down Damon Erickson and JYD for the right to battle for the case.

Now, this is where it got interesting. Fish had already beaten Manny once (in the last round of the winner’s half). Manny would need two straight wins to pull off the victory. Could he do it?

Well, he got 50% of the job done. He was able to hand Fish a loss in their first match, but couldn’t keep the momentum going to take a 2 out of 3 Falls match.

So, we had our first big winner of the weekend – “Mr. Money In The Bank Champion” Kevin Fish! Fish climbed the ladder and laid claim to his briefcase for the next day.

So, we were able to leave the shop at about midnight on our first day, and we had some early favorites already. Obviously, Fish had momentum on his side with his big first event win. Also, Vick Babikian had managed to conquer two different Win A Box Pods, so he had to be a contender. Would we have other favorites arrive the next day?

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2006
Who made 6:30 am come so early in the morning? With roughly only 5 hours total sleep, we try to get some food in us and pack the truck with all of the gear we will need for today.

We arrive at the shop at 9:30 and already 3 players are there waiting to get started. Fortunately, there is someone in the shop so we are able to get in early and get everything set up, including the boxes of prizes, manager software and printer and everything else. We are ready, so we go ahead and start sign-ups early. Eric Shapiro take the cash and does our first sign-in sheet, I run the computer and deck list collection, and Crystal handles the promo pack distribution and collection the raffle tickets for each rounds Signing Appearance.

At exactly 11:30 we declare sign-ins closed, and we have hit 36 players, 2 more than last year at GenCon SoCal. More importantly, I hear from several players (at least a dozen) that if the Qualifier had been held at GCSC, they wouldn’t or couldn’t have played due to conflicts with Pro Qualifier or Money events. Another few say they wouldn’t have gone there due to the con badge fee. Also, looking over the roster of players, there are a ton of players whose names haven’t been seen here before, many from out of state or the country.

Were there any early favorites before we even started? Well, we had Fish and Vick from day one win victories. We had 2005 West Coast Qualifier champion Anthony Escobar looking for a 2-peat. There were also former San Diego Comic Con Western States Heritage Champions Wilson Fisher and Albert Rubio. Other names that catch my eye are Matt Hatcher and the always dangerous Montavilla brothers.

Diversity for this event broken down as follows –
3 Each –
Andre The Giant

2 Each –
Edge
Shawn Michaels
Kurt Angle
Junkyard Dog
The X-Treme Diva
D-Generation X
Lita

1 Each –
John Cena
Stacy Keibler
Randy Orton
JBL
Mr.PPV
Batista
Big Freakin’ Machine
Undertaker
Torrie Wilson
Vince McMahon
The Immortal One
Shane O’Mac
The Ultimate Survivor
Matt Hardy
Your Freakin’ Hero
Babe Of The Year
Bobby Heenan
Rey Mysterio
Leader Of The Edge Army

I give the computer the go-ahead to make the first round matches and get the print out. Before we start though, I make a few announcements for everyone. Among these were :
1) The current floor rules regarding the 3-Minute Rule would be in effect.
2) If you had a pager or cell phone, please turn it off or to vibrate.
3) You of course can watch the matches, but if the players ask you to step away, please do so, as this is a stressful day.

Once the public service announcements are out of the way, we are off for our first of 6 Rounds, to cut to a Top 16. Play moves along pretty well, with no more than the usual cries of “judge” and everything running smoothly.

About Round 4, I decide that we need a small break and announce that we will hold our Halloween Havoc Costume Contest judging. We had five players dress up as respective wrestling superstars =
Marcus Garner & Scott Gerhardt : John Cena
Vick Babikian : Davari
Jeremy Peterson : nWo Hollywood Hulk Hogan
Ken Conley : Matt Stryker

The players cheered or jeered for their favorites, and decided that they liked Vick’s Davari the best, with Jeremy’s Hogan coming in second.

After the fun interlude, we are back to our last 2 intense rounds. With diversity what it was, these last 2 matches would be critical. The 2 rounds finish up with no problem, results are recorded and we have our Top 16 ready to be announced =
Albert Rubio (Vince McMahon)
Johnathan Doctorian (Andre The Giant)
Damon Erickson (Junkyard Dog)
Anthony Escobar (Kurt Angle)
Vick Babikian (Edge)
Danny Rubio (Matt Hardy)
Kevin Fish (Shawn Michaels)
Chris Donati (Stacy Keibler)
Manny Gonzalez (Lita)
Martin Gray (JBL)
Wilson Fisher (Randy Orton)
Gopal Young (The Immortal One)
Max Ayco (Bobby Heenan)
Damon Fagen (Big Freakin’ Machine)
Eric Shapiro (Undertaker)
Matt Hatcher (Mr.PPV)

We call a break for 1 hour for dinner, and then we will start our Top 16, as well as Pods for any player that wants them.

We are back and here is our Top 16 :
Albert Rubio (Vince McMahon) vs. Manny Gonzalez (Lita)
Johnathan Doctorian (Andre The Giant) vs. Martin Gray (JBL)
Damon Erickson (Junkyard Dog) vs. Wilson Fisher (Randy Orton)
Anthony Escobar (Kurt Angle) vs. Gopal Young (The Immortal One)
Vick Babikian (Edge) vs. Max Ayco (Bobby Heenan)
Danny Rubio (Matt Hardy) vs. Damon Fagen (Big Freakin’ Machine)
Kevin Fish (Shawn Michaels) vs. Eric Shapiro (Undertaker)
Chris Donati (Stacy Keibler) vs. Matt Hatcher (Mr.PPV)

TOP 8 :
Albert Rubio (Vince McMahon) vs. Damon Fagen (Big Freakin’ Machine)
Johnathan Doctorian (Andre The Giant) vs. Wilson Fisher (Randy Orton)
Anthony Escobar (Kurt Angle) vs. Vick Babikian (Edge)
Kevin Fish (Shawn Michaels) vs. Matt Hatcher (Mr.PPV)

TOP 4 :
Albert Rubio (Vince McMahon) vs. Kevin Fish (Shawn Michaels)
Wilson Fisher (Randy Orton) vs. Anthony Escobar (Kurt Angle)

And just like that we are in our Finals match…players take their spots, I assume my post at the Judge Computer, ready at a moments notice, and we are for =
2006 San Diego Comic Con Champion, playing Vincent Kennedy McMahon, from Rancho Cucagoma, CA…Albert Rubio…RUBIO!
Versus
2004 San Diego Comic Con Champion, playing Randy Orton, representing Santa Barbara, CA…Wilson Fisher…FISHER!

The battle is fierce, but in the end, we had a winner and West Coast Qualifier winner…
ALBERT RUBIO!!!!!

Congratulations are passed around, with everyone commenting that Albert had played a phenomenal deck, finishing with a 90% win percentage for the day.

(I do have deck lists for the Top8, but they will be coming in a supplement report.)
A few more Pods get started, and Crystal and I head off for the night to rest up for our last event tomorrow.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2006

We get off to a more relaxed start today, as we don’t need to be at the shop until 11 today. We head over to a near by IHOP for some breakfast. Boy, was that a mistake as both of us are miserable at the end of the meal, or what we could finish to be precise. We then kill some time, and the head over to the shop.

Today’s big event is an All Axxess event for a full size replica belt of the John Cena US Spinner Belt. We get 19 people signing up for their shot, and get a weird break down of diversity as follows :
2 Each –
Lashley
Johnny

1 Each –
Mr.PPV
Bobby Heenan
Matt Hardy
John Cena
The Rock
Rene Dupree
JBL
Christy Hemme
Largest Athlete In Sports Entertainment
Kane
The X-Treme Diva
The People’s Champ
Evolution
The Immortal One
Test

After 5 rounds, the computer has us cut to a Top 8 of :
Anthony Escobar (Mr.PPV) vs. Manny Gonzalez (Matt Hardy)
Vick Babikian (Bobby Heenan) vs. Ryan Henry (JBL)
Ken Conley (Johnny) vs. Marcus Garner (John Cena)
Damon Erickson (Lashley) vs. Larry Boyd (Rock)

Top 4 :
Anthony Escobar (Mr.PPV) vs. Ken Conley (Johnny)
Vick Babikian (Bobby Heenan) vs. Larry Boyd (Rock)

And our Top 2 :
Anthony Escobar (Mr.PPV) vs.Vick Babikian (Bobby Heenan)

And with a well earned victory, Anthony Escobar laid claim to the belt that spins! But don’t feel bad for Vick…he walked away with a min replica belt of the WWF Attitude Era World title.

We wrap up a remaining Pod or 2 and it is time to make the long drive home.

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At the end, it was a thoroughly exhausting weekend, which a week a later I am still paying for. But it was more than worth it to have pulled off such a blast of an event.

Before I sign off from this report, it is time for me to give out a series of thanks…
Scott and the staff of Shuffle & Cut Games, for giving us the game space to hold the weekend worth of events, for opening up early and staying late, and in generally giving us all of the structural support we could use…
Barron, Alan & Comic Images, for hooking up the players out here with a TON of great prizes all weekend for the events and Pods…
Eric Shapiro & Martin Gray, for their help that day and in the weeks leading up to the event by providing input or advice…
My wife Crystal, for her tireless work and support leading up to and during the whole weekend. It truly would have once again been impossible to have pulled this off without here…
And lastly, to the players who showed up all weekend to play in the different events and show their support for the Raw Deal CCG. You guys are the reason I do this and thanks for your support in pulling this whole amazing feat off.

Adam Crites